Rack and pinion operator



Aug. 18,1931. .1. H. sHEARD RAC`K AND PINION OPERATOR Filed DecA 21,'1929 ATTORNEYS, A

. y provide a gear which can section to aid better :section thereof; said latter Patented Aug. 18, 1931 J'QSEPH H.' SI-IEARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR`TO DAVID LUP- TONS SONS VVCOIVIPANE,` OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA Application :tiled December 21, 1929.

This invention has reference in its'broader aspects tok rack and pinion devices more commonly designated operators, such for example as sash operating mechanism adapted to simultaneously actuate lines of industrial and other windows.

More specifically the present improvements are directed to a novel form of sectional gear for association in mechanism of the type referred to; said gear being characterized by numerous advantages over eX- isting forms of such devices.

The primary object of this invention is to be readily applied to erected shafting with a minimum expenditure of time and labor, and firmly secured in position by the manipulation of a single bolt or screw.

Another object is to provide a sectional gear which, under tightening action of thel single bolt, correctly .completes the pitch circle and securely clamps said gear on the member or shaft to. which it is applied.

IVith the aforesaid andotherobjects in` view, this invention comprises the novel features of construction and Iarrangement Vof parts which are set forth in the following description and claims appended hereto. 30

In the drawings: f

Fig. I is a broken plan view .of a sash installation including my novel form of rack and pinion operators, certain parts being in illustration.

Fig. II is a sectional view, larger scale, looking in the direction ofthe arrows II-II on Fig. I.y

Fig. III isa front form of sectional gear, applied to a'tubular shaft, with portions broken awaybetter to disclose certain otherwise hidden-features.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of the section of the segmental gear;l and,

Fig. V -is ,a similar view of the'fbottom section, however, being shown in a. diiferingoplane' to'Fig. IV.

Referring firstly to Figs. I and II Wherein there is illustrated-by way1of example only-a sash installation for industrial i buildings, the numerals 1 designate masonry Vmechanism now to be with particularity i on a slightly essentially,

elevation of my novel cov-act with the teeth 17 of my novel sectional RACK AND IEINION OEEItATOR Serial No. 415,749.`

atthe sides, or ends, of a line of spaced ventilators or sash 2; said sash being of conventional'construction and pivoted intermediate their upper and lower edges, at 3,*fory simultaneous swinging movement, to open or `closed position, under control of the described.

This mechanism or operator, in the typiiied example illustrated, comprises a tubular shaft 4, Aextending theentire length of the line of ventilators or sash 2, conveniently Journaled in appropriate bearing brackets 5, at predetermined intervals. Thesha-ft 4 has secured thereon,'at some convenient location, a circularrgear 6, rotatable by a worm 7, on a short shaft 8, freely `journaled in the drophanger 9, while the shaft 8 is revolved by'a chain 'wheel 10 fitted with a guard 11; all as will be readily understood by those acquainted with the tion appertains.

Connected ycentrally of the lower' edge lof variety although straight ones mayjustasl conveniently be employed if neededl or desirable. Each rack Voperator 13 co-operates with a yoke 14, comprising spaced components,

Y configured to engage the shaft 4, between which are fitted freely rotatable anti-friction rollers 1,5, whereby said operator is ymaintained, at all times, in proper relation tothe shaft 4 and restrained against movement therefrom. 'The rack operator or bar 13, it is to be noted, isf conveniently, although not of channel sectionfwith rectangular holes 16 in the web thereof spaced to gear, comprehensively designated. 18; said partsbeing maintained inoperative engageart to which this invenv sash 2, by means of a'suit-v ment by the yokes 14, inan obvious inannerf l The gear 18, as best seen from Figs. III, IV. and jV, comprises-whatl may be. appropriately j termed-upper andA lower sections 19,20, respectively, each embodying an equal number of'teeth 17; whilesaid sections are so formedthat the meeting faces 21, 22 thereof, do not intersect a gear tooth 1'( but passV through the root circle or portion 23 of the ico Y ened up.

gear 18. The gear section 19 embodies a semi-hub 24 concentric to the root circle portion 23, with a connecting web or flange 25 at one side thereof and an enlargement 26 at the other. The enlargement 26, it will be seen is apertured at 27, in a direction tangential to the axis of rotation of the gear 18, and is also provided with a projection 28, for a purpose hereinafter explained; while opposed to said enlargement 26 the gear section 19 root circle 23 projects beyond the face 21 to provide a yoke-like extension 29.

The gear section 20, somewhat similarly embodies a semi-hub 24 concentric to the root circle portion 23 with a connecting web or flange 25 and an enlargement 3() that is cored ont-or otherwise formed-to provide an inverted T section groove 31 accessible, or open-ended, from the inner surface of the hub 24, but closed with respect to the root circle portion 23, as clearly visible in Fig. V. Opposed to the .enlargement 30, the root circle portion 23 is shouldered-out or reduced at each side of the web 25 to align with the side faces of the terminal tooth 17, so that the latter is inwardly extended toward the axis of rotation and becomes, in effect, a locking component, as hereafterexplained. Incidentally. it is to be here noted that the width or lateral dimension across the' extended terminal tooth 17 is slightly less than the width of the slot 32, or. inner dimension, of the yoke-like extension 29, on the gear section 19.

1n assembling the gear sections 19,V 20 a bolt 33 is firstly connected to the section 2O by its head 34 being non-rotatively engaged in the T-section groove 31; whereupon said section is applied below the shaft 4, as readily understood from Fig. 111. The upper secn tion' 19 is next placed over the section 20, with thetooth 17 entering the slot 32 of the yoke 29, when said parts are moved towards each other along the plane of the webs or flanges 25, inV an obvious manner,.until the free end of the boltv 33 enters the aperture27 of the enlargement 26, it being readily under. stood that there is. ample clearance below the head 34 of the bolt 33 to permit the latter considerable angular play to accommodate such manipulation of the parts. After the bolt 33 has thus been entered in the aperture 27, the gear sections are brought into substantially-meeting circular registration, by the projection 28 engaging in the shank portion of the inverted T-section groove 31, thereby effectively preventing lateral displacement of the respective parts, whereupon the nut 35 is applied to said bolt and tight- Particular attention is here directed to the fact that co-operation of the tooth 17 with the slotted yoke 29 and the projection 28 with the groove 31 ensures correct completion of the gear pitch circle for the teeth 17, when the sections 19, 20 are assembled, as above described.

From the foregoing, it is thought the invention will be easily understood, while the adaptability of the gears 18 for ready placement opposite the ventilators or sash 2 without any diiculty is self-evident. Furthermore the gears 18 are each firmly and securely held in place by an individual bolt 33, without any possibility of the sections 19, 20 pulling apart, or developing translative movement with respect to each other upon the shaft 4.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various minor modifications may be made in the same without departure from the spirit thereof; hence 1 do not limit myself to the precise embodiment shown and described or the particular use mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is z 1. 1n a sectional gear the combination of complemental components, one provided with a yoke-like extension in the path of its root circle for passage of an inwardly extended tooth on the other, and means for securing said components in co-active assembly.

2. 1n a sectional gear the combination of opposing components, one provided with a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle for engagement over an inwardly extended tooth on the other, means opposed to said extension and engaging tooth eective to prevent lateral movement of the respective components, and means for securing said comp-onents in co-active assembly.

3. 1n a sectional gear the combination of opposing components, one provided with a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle for engagement over an inwardly extended tooth on the other, a projection diametrically opposed to said extension engaging in a slot similarly opposed to the co-opera'tive tooth effective to kprevent lateral movement of the respectiveA components, and means for securing said components in coactive assembly. I

4. 1n a sectional gear the combination of opp-osing components; one of saidcomponents having a yoke-like extension continuons with the root circle, a diametrically opposed Y projection, and a tangentially directed aperture in a portion of the web thereof; the other component having an inwardly extending terminal tooth, and a di ametrically opposed inverted T-section groove in the web thereof; and means for securing said components in co-active assembly.

5. 1n a sectional gear the combination of opposing components; one of said components having a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle, a diametrically opposed projection, and a tangentially directed aperture in a portion of the web there-of; the other component having an inwardly extending ice terminal tooth, and a diametrically opposed inverted T-section groove in the web thereof, said groove being closed at the outer end or accessible only from the hub portion of the component; the projection aforementioned entering the shank portion of the groove when the components are brought together to prevent lateral displacement; and means for lsjecuring said components in co-active assem- 5d. In a sectional gear the combination of opposing components; one of said components having a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle, a diametrically opposed projection, and a tangentially directed aperture in a portion of the web thereof; the other component having an inwardly extending terminal tooth, and a diametrically opposed inverted T-section groove in the web thereof, said groove being closed at the outer end or accessible only from the hub portion of the component; the projection aforementioned entering the shank portion of the groove when the components are brought together to prevent lateral displacement; a bolt engaged in the groove with its shank passing through the tangential aperture aforesaid, and a nut threaded thereon for clamping the components in co-active registration.

7. In a sectional gea-r the combination of opposing components one of said components having a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle, a diametrically opposed proj ection, and a tangentially directed aperture in a portion of the web thereof; the other component having an inwardly extending terminal tooth, and a diametrically opposed inverted l`section groove in the web thereof, said groove being closed at the outer end or accessible only from the hub portion of the component; the projection aforementioned entering the shank portion of the groove when the components are brought together to prevent lateral displacement; a bolt engaged in the groove with its shank passing through the tangential aperture aforesaid, and a nut threaded thereon for clamping the components in co-active registration, said yoke, eX- tended tooth and single bolt securing means jointly serving to accurately set the pitch circle and prevent relative translative movement of the respective components when applied to a driving member.

8. A sectional gear comprising two sections, one of said sections having a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle for engagement over a terminal tooth of the other section, a single bolt means having the head thereof engaging in an inverted T-section groove of the one section with the shank passing through a tangentially-directed aperture in the web of the other section, and a nut in the free end of said bolt shank whereby the respective parts are clamped together against relative tra-nslative movement.

9. A sectional gear comprising two sections, one of said sections having a yoke-like extension continuous with the root circle for engagement over a terminal tooth of the other section, a single bolt means having the head thereof engaging in an inverted T-section groove of the one section with the shank passing through a tangentially-directed aperture in the web of the other section, a nut on the free end of said bolt shank whereby the respective parts are clamped together against relative translative movement, and a projection on the first mentioned section engageable in the shank portion of the groove effective to prevent lateral displacement.

10. In ventilator means of the type described actuable by a hingedly attached rack from a power shaft, a sectional gear for cooperation with such rack comprising two A components, one of which has a yoke-like eX- tension continuous with the root circle for engagement over a terminal too. h of the other component, an inverted T-section groove in the one component, a projection on the other component engageable in the shank portion of said groove, a single bolt with the head thereof in the groove and its shank passing through a tangentially-directed aperture in the web of the first mentioned component, and a nut on the free end of said bolt shank for securing the gear components to the power shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 16th day of Dec., 1929.

JOSEPH H. SHEARD. 

